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Book 2 Chapter 1
Many Meetings *Frodo wakes up in a bed. *He asks, "Where am I, and what is the time?" (2.1.2) *The voice of Gandalf answers: "In the House of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning" (2.1.3). *Gandalf! *It is October 24th. *Frodo asks if all the others are all right – they are. *Gandalf explains that Frodo was beginning to fade at the Ford of Bruinen. *He reached Rivendell just in time for Elrond's medicine to save him. *Gandalf scolds Frodo a bit for some of his choices on the road. *But on the whole, he thinks Frodo did very well "to have come so far, and through such dangers, still bearing the Ring" (2.1.12). *Gandalf promises that Frodo will hear all the news of Gandalf's delay, but not until he is a bit better. *Frodo admits that, without Aragorn, they never would have made it to Rivendell. *Gandalf confirms that Aragorn is something special – in fact, he's one of the few who still has the blood of the old Kings from over the Sea. *Frodo is amazed that Strider is a descendant of the Men of Westernesse, but Gandalf confirms that that is what the Rangers are: "the last remnant in the North of the great people, the Men of the West" (2.1.28). *Gandalf also tells Frodo that he has been sleeping for four days; he arrived at Rivendell on October 20th. *Frodo wonders why they can see the Ringwraiths' horses when the Ringwraiths themselves only become visible when he is wearing the Ring. *Gandalf answers that the horses are real animals, bred and raised in Sauron's service. He has all kinds of servants – it's not just Ringwraiths and Orcs. *Frodo also mentions a white figure he saw across the river; Gandalf confirms that it was Glorfindel as he appears in the other world. *After all, Glorfindel is a prince among Elves. *To Gandalf's eyes, Frodo is quickly recovering. *But Gandalf also sees that Frodo has changed, with "just a hint as it were of transparency" (2.1.51). *Gandalf explains to Frodo that Glorfindel knew the River Bruinen would flood when the Ringwraiths tried to cross, so he lit a fire and prepared for battle on that side of the river. *Faced with Aragorn and an Elf-lord, the Ringwraiths lost courage and their horses went crazy with fear. *So three Ringwraiths were carried away in the first river flood and the rest followed when their horses plunged into the river out of madness. *Their horses drowned, but the Ringwraiths will be back as soon as they can find new steeds. *Sam, Pippin, Merry, Aragorn, and Glorfindel crossed the Bruinen after the Ringwraiths were swept away. *They found Frodo lying pale and cold on his face with a broken sword under him, so they brought him to Rivendell and Elrond's healing. *The plan is to have a feast tonight to celebrate the events of the Ford of Bruinen. *Frodo falls asleep content. *He wakes up in the evening and dresses for the feast. *Sam comes in and takes his left hand; he is relieved to feel that it is warm. *He leads Frodo to Elrond's garden, where the other Hobbits and Gandalf are waiting. *Merry and Pippin are delighted to see Frodo up and about. *They go to the hall of Elrond's house: there are lots of Elves, of course, but also other guests. *Frodo sees Arwen, Elrond's lovely daughter, for the first time. *A Dwarf of great importance sits next to Frodo: Glóin, one of the original thirteen Dwarves who hired Bilbo to help them fight the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit. *He tells Frodo all about what has become of Bilbo's original companions. *Most of them – Dwalin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Glóin himself – are fine, living with Dáin, the King Under the Mountain. *But three of them have met an unknown fate: Balin, Ori, and Óin. It's because of those three that Glóin has come to the Council of Elrond. *Frodo exclaims, "How surprised Bilbo would have been to see all the changes in the Desolation of Smaug" (2.1.105). *Glóin sees how fond Frodo is of Bilbo. *The feast ends, and Frodo walks a bit with Gandalf. They go to the Hall of Fire, where there will be singing late into the night. *There is a small dark figure leaning against a pillar; Elrond goes to him and wakes this figure and then beckons Frodo. The figure is Bilbo! Bilbo! *Frodo is amazed and delighted that Bilbo is in Rivendell. *Bilbo tells Frodo that he had been watching over him while he was unconscious. *Bilbo has thinking up a song, but he wants his friend "the Dúnadan" to help him with it. Frodo and Bilbo sit together, and Sam soon joins them. *It turns out that Bilbo never got much further than Rivendell once he left the Shire. *It's peaceful and happy in Rivendell: "Time doesn't seem to pass here: it just is. A remarkable place altogether" (2.1.121). *Bilbo has heard about the Ring, and is surprised that an old bauble of his has been such trouble. He asks if Frodo has the Ring here. *Frodo brings the Ring out reluctantly; it's hanging on a chain around his neck. *Bilbo puts out his hand to touch it, but Frodo pulls it away. *He sees Bilbo as "a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands" (2.1.127). *Bilbo tells Frodo, "I understand now ... Put it away! I am sorry: sorry you have come in for this burden: sorry about everything" (2.1.128). *While catching Bilbo up on all of the news of the Shire, Frodo is interrupted by the appearance of Aragorn. *Aragorn is the Dúnadan (from the Elvish dún-adan, Man of the West, Númenorean). *Bilbo wants Aragorn to help him polish the song he's working on for performance that night. *Frodo begins to doze as he listens to the music and Bilbo's verses. *Bilbo sings of Eärendil, the ancestor of the Men of Westernesse, who became the Morning and Evening Stars. *Frodo wakes up and sees that Bilbo is surrounded by a ring of listeners. *They ask Bilbo to sing the song a second time so they can answer his question: he had asked which verses were Bilbo's and which were Aragorn's. *Bilbo pretends to be offended that they can't tell the difference. *The Elves tease him: "To sheep other sheep no doubt appear different ... But Mortals have not been our study" (2.1.149). *Bilbo is pleased; the verses were all Bilbo's, and he doesn't often get asked for an encore. *In fact, Aragorn seemed to think it was a bit cheeky of Bilbo to be singing about Eärendil at all. *Frodo is getting tired, and Bilbo says it's fine if they slip off to bed. *As they leave the Hall of Fire, Frodo hears the Elves singing, "A Elbereth Golthoniel,/ silivren penna miriel" (2.1.154). *Frodo looks over and sees Elrond and Arwen sitting near one another, with Aragorn standing next to Arwen. *The light of Arwen's eyes "fall on Frodo from afar and pierce his heart" (2.1.158). *But Bilbo pulls Frodo away; they will go on singing late into the night. *They chat more about "the small news of the Shire far away" (2.1.160). *Sam knocks on the door and asks if Frodo needs anything. What Sam really means is that it is time for Frodo to go to bed; there will be a Council early the next morning, and Frodo needs his rest.